Mahama must condemn Okyeame – EX DCE

A former District Chief Executive Officer for Ahafo-Ano North, Nana Agyemang Prempeh, has asked President John Dramani Mahama to openly condemn and reprimand the Chief Linguist of the Tepa Traditional Council, Nana Kwame Opoku for invoking curses on anyone who decides to contest the President in 2016.

The Chief Linguist, during a ceremony at the district capital, Tepa, was said to have invoked calamity on any “individual who decides to stand in the way of President Mahama’s second term bid for the Presidency”

Nana Kwame Opoku, who was performing traditional libation to welcome the President, invoked the wind to sweep anyone who stands in the way of the President and a second term bid.

However, an ex-DCE for the area, Nana Agyemang Prempeh, has described the statement as unfortunate and is calling on the President to openly repudiate the act, since it has no place in the country’s body politics.

According to him, it is unacceptable for the Chief Linguist to have made those invocations, much as it was regrettable for the President not to have condemned it.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the former DCE said the action of the Linguist was an insult and affront to the King and Head of the Golden Stool of Ashanti, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who has publicly decreed against invocation of curses.

According to him, the statement has also dented the image of the respected Tepa Traditional Council, led by its Chief, Nana Atwerewoampem II, whose preoccupation is to seek development for his people.

“As a former DCE, a Presiding Member and a proud citizen of Tepa, I am saddened by that particular statement, as it has taken away the shine out of what our dear Paramount Chief said during the President’s visit.

“What to me is disheartening is the fact that the overlord of the Asante Kingdom, has expressly cautioned against invocation of curses by his subjects,” he emphasized.

The former DCE has, therefore, given the Linguist a 24 hour ultimatum to revoke the curse and unreservedly apologize to the Tepa Traditional Council, all citizens and the Asanteman Council, as well as all Presidential Candidates who will be challenging President Mahama in 2016.

“I also humbly appeal to the Tepa Council to as a matter of urgency come out and openly distance themselves from such an irresponsible statement and sanction the Linguist for dragging the name of the Council into disrepute,” he noted.

Nana Agyemang Prempeh, therefore, warned that failure to do so will personally have him report the matter to the Chief Priest of the Asantehene, the Nsumankwaahene, to explain why he invoked such curses on those aspiring to lead the nation as President and government.